Baby Rocker

BACKGROUND

Rocking chairs and other forms of rockers have been in use for centuries. Rockers have been designed and made for use by persons of all ages: adults, children and infants. Baby rockers differ in size from rockers used by older children and adults. In some cases, a baby rocker may be designed for use with a child of up to about six months. Safety of the infant and the need to keep the rocker clean and in good repair can present additional factors in the design of a baby rocker.

SUMMARY

A baby rocker includes a frame, a left rocker plate, a right rocker plate, a frame cover, and straps connected to the frame cover to hold the frame cover in position on the frame. The left rocker plate is attached to a left side of the frame and has a curved left rocker rail. The right rocker plate is attached to the right side of the frame and includes a curved right rocker rail. The frame cover includes a cushion positioned on a top side of the frame, a left side flap, a right side flap, a head end flap, and a foot end flap. The straps connect the left side flap, the right side flap, the head end flap, and the foot end flap at an underside of the frame to hold the frame cover in position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a baby rocker having a frame, left and right rocker plates, and a removable frame cover.

FIG. 2 A is a perspective view of the baby rocker of FIG. 1 A with the frame cover removed from the frame to show the parts that form the frame and the left and right rocker plates.

FIG. 2 B is a disassembled view of the frame showing the parts of the frame and the left and right rocker plates.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the top side of the removable frame cover.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the underside of the baby rocker of FIG. 1 .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is perspective view of baby rocker 10 , which includes frame cover 12 , frame 14 , left rocker plate 16 L, right rocker plate 16 R, and harness 18 . FIG. 1 shows baby rocker 10 with frame cover 12 mounted on frame 14 . FIG. 1 identifies head end H, foot end F, left side L, and right side R of baby rocker 10 .

Frame cover 12 includes cushion 20 , which is mounted on frame 14 . Frame cover 12 has a fabric envelope containing a soft stuffing or matting material. As shown in FIG. 1 , cushion 20 has a tufted structure. When mounted on frame 14 , cushion 20 of frame cover 12 forms a slightly concave bowed support surface for a baby.

Left rocker plate 16 L is attached to the left side of frame 14 . Similarly, right rocker plate 16 R is attached to the right side of frame 14 .

Harness 18 is mounted on cushion 20 to secure the baby in position on cushion 20 while the baby is on baby rocker 10 . Harness 18 is positioned approximately midway between head end H and foot end F of baby rocker 10 . Harness 18 is a three-point harness with a padded fabric structure that includes divider 22 , left wing 24 L, and right wing 24 R. Harness 18 can be connected to and disconnected from cushion 20 using left belt buckle assembly 26 L and right belt buckle assembly 26 R. The left and right legs are of the baby are positioned on opposite sides of divider 22 .

FIG. 2 A shows baby rocker 10 with frame cover 12 removed from frame 14 . FIG. 2 B shows baby rocker 10 disassembled so that all of the parts of frame 14 , left rocker plate 16 L, right rocker plate 16 R, along with fasteners, spacers, and assembly tools can be seen. FIGS. 2 A and 2 B will be discussed together. FIG. 2 A identifies head end H, foot end F, left side L, and right side R of baby rocker 10 .

Frame 14 includes left inner sidebar 28 L, right inner sidebar 28 R, head end outer crossbar 30 (with threaded ends 30 L and 30 R), head end inner crossbar 32 (with threaded ends 32 L and 32 R), foot end outer crossbar 34 (with threaded ends 34 L and 34 R), and foot inner end 36 (with threaded ends 36 L and 36 R). The head end of left inner sidebar 28 L contains outer counterbored mounting hole 40 L and inner counterbored mounting hole 42 L. The foot end of left inner sidebar 28 L contains outer counterbored mounting hole 44 L and inner counterbored counting hole 46 L. Similarly, right inner sidebar 28 R contains corresponding counterbored mounting holes 40 R, 42 R, 44 R, and 46 R.

Left rocker plate 16 L includes curved rocker rail 50 L, left outer sidebar 52 L, left head end leg 54 L, left foot end leg 56 L, left foot end notch 58 L, left relief 60 L, left handle 62 L, and left handle slot 64 L. Left outer sidebar 52 L includes head end outer mounting hole 66 L, left head end inner mounting hole 68 L, left foot end outer mounting hole 70 L, and left foot end inner mounting hole 72 L.

Right rocker plate 16 R is a mirror image of left rocker plate 16 L. Right rocker plate 16 R includes curved rocker rail 50 R, right outer sidebar 52 R, right head end leg 54 R, right foot end leg 56 R, right foot end notch 58 R, right relief 60 R, right handle 62 R, left handle notch 64 R. Right outer sidebar 52 R includes head end outer mounting hole 66 R, right head end inner mounting hole 68 R, right foot end outer mounting hole 70 R, and right foot end inner mounting hole 72 R.

Assembly of frame 14 , left rocker plate 16 L and right rocker plate 16 R makes use of threaded ends 30 L, 32 L, 34 L, and 36 L, threaded ends 30 R, 32 R, 34 R, and 36 R, spacers 80 L, 82 L, 84 L, and 86 L, spacers 80 R, 82 R, 84 R, and 86 R, internally threaded bolts 90 L, 92 L, 94 L, and 96 L, and internally threaded bolts 90 R, 92 R, 94 R, and 96 R. Assembly can be achieved using two hex keys (or Allen wrenches) 98 and 100 .

During assembly, left inner sidebar 28 L is mounted to cross bars 30 , 32 , 34 , and 36 by inserting threaded ends 30 L, 32 L, 34 L, and 36 L into counterbored holes 40 L, 42 L, 44 L, and 46 L, respectively. Similarly, right inner sidebar 28 R is mounted to cross bars 30 , 32 , 34 , and 36 by inserting threaded ends 30 R, 32 R, 34 R, and 36 R into counterbored holes 40 R, 42 R, 44 R, and 46 R, respectively. Spacers 80 L, 82 L, 84 L, and 86 L are placed on threaded ends 30 L, 32 L, 34 L, and 36 L, respectively, that are extending beyond left inner sidebar 28 L. Spacers 80 R, 82 R, 84 R, and 86 R are placed on threaded ends 30 R, 32 R, 34 R, and 36 R, respectively, that are extending beyond right inner sidebar 28 R.

Left rocker plate 16 L is positioned with left outer sidebar 52 L aligned with and spaced from to left inner sidebar 28 L by inserting threaded ends 30 L, 32 L, 34 L, and 36 L into mounting holes 66 L, 68 L, 70 L, and 72 L of left rocker plate 16 L. Internally threaded bolts 90 L, 92 L, 94 L, and 96 L are inserted into mounting holes 66 L, 68 L, 70 L, and 72 L to engage threaded ends 30 L, 32 L, 34 L, and 36 L, respectively. Similarly, right rocker plate 16 R is positioned with right outer sidebar 52 R aligned with and spaced from to right inner sidebar 28 R by inserting threaded ends 30 R, 32 R, 34 R, and 36 R into mounting holes 66 R, 68 R, 70 R, and 72 R of right rocker plate 16 R. Internally threaded bolts 90 R, 92 R, 94 R, and 96 R are inserted into holes 66 R, 68 R, 70 R, and 72 R to engage threaded ends 30 R, 32 R, 34 R, and 36 R, respectively. Hex keys 98 and 100 are used to tighten the connections between the threaded ends and their respective internally threaded bolts.

Spacers 80 L, 82 L, 84 L, and 86 L are positioned between left inner sidebar 28 L and left outer sidebar 52 L of left rocker plate 16 L to create left slot 102 L. Spacers 80 R, 82 R, 84 R, and 86 R are positioned between right inner sidebar 28 R and right outer sidebar 52 R of right rocker plate 16 R to create right slot 102 R.

FIG. 3 shows the top side of frame cover 12 and harness 18 . Frame cover 12 includes cushion 20 , left side flap 110 L, right side flap 110 R, head end flap 110 H, foot end flap 110 F, left strap 112 L, left buckle 114 L, connector 116 L, right strap 112 R, right buckle 114 R, right connector 116 R, left end strap 118 L, left end buckle receiver 120 L, right end strap 118 R, right end buckle receiver 120 R, left loops 122 L, 124 L, and 126 L, and right loops 122 R, 124 R, and 126 R. FIG. 3 identifies head end H, foot end F, left side L, and right side R.

Left side flap 110 L is attached to a left side of cushion 20 and has a trapezoidal shape. Loops 122 L, 124 L, and 126 L are attached to left side flap 110 L at spaced locations along an outer edge of left side flap 110 L.

Right side flap 110 R is attached to a right side of cushion 20 and has a trapezoidal shape. Loops 122 R, 124 R, and 126 R are attached to right side flap 110 R at spaced locations along an outer edge of right side flap 110 R.

Foot end flap 110 F is attached to foot end F of cushion 20 . Left strap 112 L is attached at its fixed end to foot end flap 110 F. Buckle 114 L is positioned on a free end of left strap 112 L. Buckle 114 L is movable on left strap 112 L, and includes connector 116 L, which mates with left end buckle receiver 120 L. Right strap 112 R is attached at its fixed end to foot end flap 110 F. Buckle 114 R is positioned on a free end of left strap 112 R. Buckle 114 R is movable on left strap 112 R, and includes connector 116 R, which mates with right end buckle receiver 120 R.

Head end flap 110 H is attached to head end H of cushion 20 . Left end strap 118 L is attached to head end flap 110 H and is connected to left end buckle receiver 120 L. Right end strap 118 R is also attached to head end flap 110 H and is connected to right end buckle receiver 120 R.

FIG. 4 shows baby rocker 10 with frame cover 12 mounted on frame 14 . Baby rocker 10 is inverted so that the underside of baby rocker 10 can be seen. FIG. 4 identifies head end H, foot end F, left side L, and right side R.

As shown in FIG. 4 , left side flap 110 L extends through slot 102 L between left inner sidebar 28 L and left outer sidebar 52 L of left rocker plate 16 L. Similarly, right side flap 110 R extends through slot 102 R between right inner sidebar 28 R and right outer sidebar 52 R of right rocker plate 16 R. Head end flap 110 H wraps around head end crossbar 30 , and foot end flap 110 F wraps around foot end crossbar 34 . Straps 112 L and 112 R, buckles 114 L and 114 R, connectors 116 L and 116 R, loops 122 L and 122 R, loops 124 L and 124 R, loops 126 L and 126 R, straps 118 L and 118 R, and receivers 120 L and 120 R together form a webbed structure that connects flaps 110 F, 110 L, 110 R and 110 H together and holds cushion 20 in place on frame 14 . Strap 112 L extends from flap 110 F through loops 122 L, 124 R, and 126 L; and connector 116 L (shown in FIG. 3 ) is inserted into and mates with receiver 120 L. Strap 112 L can be tightened at buckle 114 L by pulling on the free end of strap 112 L. Strap 112 R extends from flap 110 F through loops 122 R, 124 L, and 126 R; and connector 116 R (shown in FIG. 3 ) is inserted into and mates with receiver 120 R. Strap 112 R can be tightened at buckle 114 R by pulling on the free end of strap 112 R.

In one embodiment, left rocker plate 16 L, right rocker plate 16 R, left inner sidebar 28 L, and right inner sidebar 28 R are made from multilayer laminated wood with a thickness of ¾ inch. The wood is, for example, Baltic birch plywood.

While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment(s), it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment(s) disclosed, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.